• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.73-85
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• 2024

Smart base-isolated buildings rest on flexible pads known as base isolators that minimize the effect of external disturbances along with active/semi-active actuators. The strategies used to control these active components are typically based on system models that are known a priori. Although these models describe some of the most important dynamics of the elements involved in the system, the high degree of uncertainty in the behavior of a structure under external disturbances is very difficult to characterize using a fixed model. In this work, we propose a strategy that deals with this issue: the input that controls the actuator in the base isolation system results from the compound action of a controller that relies on a model of the system that is known a priori, and a control policy that is designed based on online data-driven inferences on the behavior of the system. In this way, the control design process incorporates both the prior information about the system and the unknowns of the system, such as non-modeled parameters and nonlinear behaviors in the building. We show through simulations the performance of the proposed method in an eight-story building subjected to seismic loading.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1237-1251
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• 2016

Although the horizontal component of an earthquake response can be significantly reduced through the use of conventional seismic isolators, the vertical component of excitation is still transmitted directly into the structure. Records from instrumented structures, and some recent tests and analyses have actually seen increases in vertical responses in base isolated structures under the combined effects of horizontal and vertical ground motions. This issue becomes a great concern to facilities such as a Nuclear Power Plants (NPP), with specialized equipment and machinery that is not only expensive, but critical to safe operation. As such, there is considerable interest worldwide in vertical and three-dimensional (3D) isolation systems. This paper examines several vertical and 3D isolation systems that have been proposed and their potential application to modern nuclear facilities. In particular, a series of case study analyses of a modern NPP model are performed to examine the benefits and challenges associated with 3D isolation compared with horizontal isolation. It was found that compared with the general horizontal isolators, isolators that have vertical frequencies of no more than 3 Hz can effectively reduce the vertical in-structure responses for the studied NPP model. Among the studied cases, the case that has a vertical isolation frequency of 3 Hz is the one that can keep the horizontal period of the isolators as the first period while having the most flexible vertical isolator properties. When the vertical frequency of isolators reduces to 1 Hz, the rocking effect is obvious and rocking restraining devices are necessary.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.91 no.5
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• pp.469-486
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• 2024

Electric transformers are major components of electrical systems, and damage to them caused by earthquakes can result in significant financial loss. The current study modeled a three-dimensional (3D) isolated electrical transformer under horizontal and vertical records from different earthquakes. Instead of using fixed coefficients, an improved wavelet method has been used to create the greatest compatibility between the response spectra and the target spectrum. This method has primarily been used for dynamic analysis of isolated structures with spring-damper devices because it has shown greater accuracy in predicting the response of such structures. The effect of the nonlinear soil-structure interaction on the probability of transformer failure also has been investigated. Soil and structure interaction modeling was carried out using a beam on a nonlinear Winkler foundation. The effect of the nonlinear soil-structure interaction during dynamic analysis of transformers revealed that the greatest increase in the probability of transformer failure was in the fixed-base condition when the structure was located on soft soil. This intensified the response of the structure and increased the probability of transformer failure by up to 27% for far-field and up to 95% for near-field ground motions. A comparison of the results indicates that the use of 3D isolation systems in transformers in areas with soft clay that are subject to near-field ground motions can strongly reduce the probability of failure and improve the seismic performance of the transformer.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.61-84
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• 2010

Presented in this paper is the behaviour of asymmetric building isolated by the double variable frequency pendulum isolator (DVFPI). The DVFPI is an adoption of single variable frequency pendulum isolator (VFPI). The geometry and coefficient of friction of top and bottom sliding surfaces can be unequal. The governing equations of motion of the building-isolation system are derived and solved in incremental form. The analysis duly considers the interaction of frictional forces in the two principal directions developed at each sliding surface of the DVFPI. In order to investigate the behaviour of the base isolation using the DVFPI, the coupled lateral-torsional response is obtained under different parametric variations for a set of six far-fault earthquake ground motions and criterion to optimize its performance is proposed. Further, influences of the initial time period, coefficient of friction and frequency variation factors at the two sliding surfaces are investigated. The numerical results of the extensive parametric study help in understanding the torsional behaviour of the structure isolated with the double sliding surfaces as in the DVFPI. It is found that the performance of the DVFPI can be optimized by designing the top sliding surface initially softer and smoother relative to the bottom one.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.453-469
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• 2011

A one-story, wooden-frame, intermediate-bay model with Dou-Gon designed according to the Building Standards of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1279), was tested on a unidirectional shaking table. The main objectives of this experimental study were to investigate the seismic performance of Chinese historic wooden structure under various base input intensities. El Centro wave (N-S), Taft wave and Lanzhou wave were selected as input excitations. 27 seismic geophones were instrumented to measure the real-time displacement, velocity and acceleration respectively. Dynamic characteristics, failure mode and hysteretic energy dissipation performance of the model are analyzed. Test results indicate that the nature period and damping ratio of the model increase with the increasing magnitude of earthquake excitation. The nature period of the model is within 0.5~0.6 s, the damping ratio is 3~4%. The maximum acceleration dynamic magnification factor is less than 1 and decreases as the input seismic power increases. The frictional slippage of Dou-Gon layers (corbel brackets) between beams and plates dissipates a certain amount of seismic energy, and so does the slippage between posts and plinths. The mortise-tenon joint of the timber frame dissipates most of the seismic energy. Therefore, it plays a significant part in shock absorption and isolation.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2022

One of the objectives to prevent building pounding between two adjacentstructures is to considerseparation distance or decrease relative displacement during seismic excitation. Although the majority of building codes around the world have basically suggested some equations or approximately recommended various distances between structuresto avoid pounding hazard, but a lot of reportsin zone of pounding have obviously shown thatsafety situation or economic consideration are not always provided due to the collisions between buildings and the cost of land, respectively. For this purpose, a dynamic MDOF model by having base isolation system is numerically considered and using various earthquake records, relative displacements are mathematically investigated. Different equations to determine the value of damping ratio are collected and the results of evaluations are listed for comparison among them to present a new equation for determination of impact damping ratio. Presented equation is depends significantly on impact velocity before and after impact based on artificial neural network, which the accuracy of them is investigated and also confirmed. In order to select the optimum equation, hysteresisloop of impact between base of building and rubber bumper is considered and compared with the hysteresis loop of each impact, calculated by different equations. Finally, using representative equation, the effect of thickness, number and stiffness of rubber bumpers are numerically investigated. The results of analysis indicate that stiffness and number of bumpers have significantly affected in zone of impact force while the thickness of bumpers have not shown significant influence to calculate impact force during earthquake. For instance, increasing the number of bumpers, gap size between structures and also the value of stiffness is caused to decrease impact force between models. The final evaluation demonstrates that bumpers are able to decrease peak lateral displacement of top story during impact.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.17 no.6 s.90
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• pp.975-982
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• 2005

Scientific community agrees about the fact that base Isolation provides interesting solutions to minimize the seismic risk. Reliability of such a technique is nowadays proofed by a large number of applications like public buildings, nuclear plants, bridges, etc. This paper reports the results of performance verification tests of the base isolated RC building with the laminated rubber bearings which is manufactured by enterprise in Korea. The shaking table tests were performed using a three story model scaled to 1/3 of the prototype RC apartment building. Several major earthquake records were scaled to different peak ground accelerations and used as input base excitations. Especially in this study, effect of earthquake characteristics on response reduction and effect of the intensity of excitations are studied. Through the verification tests, the validity of the applied base isolaion device and the response reduction effect against earthquakes are confirmed.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.13-20
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• 2013

In order to reduce seismic responses of a structure, additional dampers and vibration control devices are generally considered. Usually, control performance of additional devices are investigated for optimal design without variation of characteristics of a structure. In this study, multi-objective integrated optimization of structure-smart control device is conducted and possibility of reduction of structural resources of a building structure with smart top-story isolation system has been investigated. To this end, 20-story example building structure was selected and an MR damper and low damping elastomeric bearings were used to compose a smart base isolation system. Artificial earthquakes generated based on design spectrum of low-to-moderate seismicity regions are used for structural analyses. Based on numerical simulation results, it has been shown that a smart top-story isolation system can effectively reduce both structural responses and isolation story drifts of the building structure in low-to-moderate seismicity regions. The integrated optimal design method proposed in this study can provide various optimal designs that presents good control performance by appropriately reducing the amount of structural material and damping device.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.89-103
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• 2014

According to experimental studies made so far, design formula of shear characteristics suggested by ISO 22762 and JEAG 4614, representative design code for Lead Rubber Bearing(LRB) shows dependence caused by changes in compressive stress. Especially, in the case of atypical special structure, such as a nuclear power structure, placement of seismic isolation bearing is more limited compared to that of existing structures and design compressive stress is various in sizes. As a result, there is a difference between design factor and real behavior with regards to shear characteristics of base isolation device, depending on compressive stress. In this study, a full-scale low hardness device of LRB, representative base isolation device was manufactured, analyzed, and then evaluated through an experiment on shear characteristics related to various compressive stresses. With design compressive stress of the full-scale LRB (13MPa) being a basis, changes in shear characteristics were analyzed for compressive stress of 5 MPa, 10 MPa, 13 MPa, 15 MPa, and 20 MPa based on characteristics test specified by ISO 22762:2010 and based on the test result, a regression analysis was made to offer an empirical formula. With application of proposed design formula which reflected the existing design formula and empirical formula, trend of horizontal characteristics was analyzed.

• Computational Structural Engineering
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.145-150
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• 1994

Seismic isolation in ordinary buildings has been successively adapted to provide flexibility for the reduction of base shear forces and its concept is accepting wide agreement in lengthening the natural, period to lessen the spectral acceleration transmitted into the structure. However, one of difficulties in implementing the innovative concept to nuclear structures is due to more severe requirements in both understanding and predicting the characteristics of isolators and the behavior of cushioned structures, Stochastic analysis has been carried out to investigate the response of base isolated nuclear containers to the random earthquake ground motion.